URGENT >> BULLETIN >> MOVING: (UPDATED 10:55 P.M. EDT U.S.A.) AdSurfDaily figure and purported “sovereign citizen” Kenneth Wayne Leaming has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison. His former business associate and fellow purported “sovereign” David Carroll Stephenson has been sentenced to 10 years.

Stephenson already was serving prison time for a tax scam.

“These defendants tried to mask their crimes with the cloak of free speech and beliefs,” said U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan of the Western District of Washington. “They thought they were immune from the law or the justice system, but now their frauds aimed at taxpayers and public servants need to come to an end. A lengthy prison term is the best way to protect the public from their schemes.”

Stephenson, Durkan’s office said, received a sentence longer than the recommended guidelines.

U.S. District Judge Ronald B. Leighton said that Stephenson “cannot, will not live his life without doing harm to others,” prosecutors said. “He is the master manipulator, the puppeteer . . . He is in my mind a very dangerous man.”

Leaming, the judge said, flaunts authority and “harasses law abiding people who have an obligation to the people to serve,” according to prosecutors.

Leaming, like Stephenson, is 57. Although it never was clear whether Leaming was a member of the $119 million ASD Ponzi scheme broken up by the U.S. Secret Service in 2008, it became crystal clear that he was trying to derail the prosecution by filing bogus liens against public officials involved in the ASD case and had worked with Stephenson to file fraudulent liens against two U.S. prison officials.

Prosecutors had asked for Leaming to be sentenced to 10 years.

When the FBI executed search warrants at Leaming’s Spanaway home in November 2011, they found six firearms — this despite the fact Leaming was a convicted felon banned from possessing guns. Leaming previously has been convicted of piloting an aircraft without a license.

One of the weapons Leaming possessed was described by prosecutors as a “street sweeper” style shotgun. He also had an “assault rifle,” according to prosecutors.

Leaming also was found to be harboring two federal fugitives from Arkansas wanted in a home-business caper separate from ASD.

During his criminal trial, Leaming was channeling deceased cop-killer Christopher Dorner in a veiled bid to intimidate law enforcement, prosecutors said. Dorner is the former member of the Los Angeles Police Department who promised warfare against cops in February. The Dorner story stunned the nation.

Leaming, according to the FBI, also has a history that includes discussing a plot by which he’d serve U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts with a purported writ at a school attended by Roberts’ young children.

From a statement by Durkan’s office tonight (italics added):

The men (Stephenson and Leaming) identify themselves as members of the ‘Sovereign Citizen’ movement. ‘Sovereign Citizens’ profess a belief that both state and federal government entities are illegitimate. Members of this group often engaged in so-called “freedom driving,” i.e., driving about without state-required licenses, either for their vehicles or themselves. When contacted by local law enforcement, members of the group often bombard local officials (from the officer, to local judges, to mayors and other members of local government) with frivolous liens, false claims, and sometimes threats of violence. Many members of this same group had previously come to the attention of federal law enforcement for engaging in various fraudulent tax schemes, wire fraud schemes, and (occasionally) inappropriate communications with various members of federal law enforcement and the judiciary.

In asking for a ten year sentence for both men, prosecutors wrote to the court that only a long prison term would protect the public. About STEPHENSON they wrote, “This is not the case of a defendant who continues to run afoul of the law because of a substance abuse addiction or a history of childhood abuse. Rather, this is a defendant who simply chooses to remain defiant, despite court after court telling him that he must stop, and despite multiple stints in prison. At this point, removal from society is the only way in which the public can be kept safe from the defendant’s crimes.”

As for LEAMING, prosecutors provided information to the court about his repeatedly holding himself out to victims as a lawyer who could solve their problems, when in fact his actions may have damaged their case. About the crimes from the March 2013 conviction prosecutors wrote: “Defendant’s possession of firearms is particularly disturbing in light of several facts. First is obviously his disdain for government. Second is his possession of various items of police equipment, including numerous badges, light bars, and a Crown Victoria sedan modified to appear to be a police vehicle. Last but not least is Defendant’s repeated invocation of the shooting of government officials in Southern California by a disgruntled former police officer – which again appeared to be a veiled threat to engage in violence himself if he is prevented from pursuing his “‘petitions for redress,’” prosecutors wrote in their sentencing memo.

As someone who knew Keny very well, it is so sad to see it come down to eight yrs in federal prison time for him. And I am very surprising to read that they state that he had no childhood abuse. In fact, he was very abused by his mother. He needed to be stopped from defrauding the public, but it is sad to see that he screwed up so much that he will be in prison for so long. As someone who he was very abusive to, I just wish that he had gotten some mental health treatment along the way. Not excusing what he has done, but I realize now that he has emotional/mental health issues; and needs help with that. And, yes, he was very emotionally and mentally abused by his mother.

ken is my cousin, I never heard of any abuse. if anyone knows, his brother, Donny would be the one to ask. last time I saw Kenny, it was at his dads funeral, he said he was an attorney. I seriously doubted his lie, also said he was a pilot. evidently he never bothered to get a license. his pic was on the front page of the news tribune about 15 years ago. he was in a featured story about a gifting scam affiliated with a local church. his name in the article was Kenneth wayne. looks like he’s been scamming for a long time

Robert, I never knew about Keny’s cousins, but I knew his dad. Keny told me many times about how he was abused emotionally, mentally, and some physical abuse by his mother; and I believed him. Keny was a very intelligent person and yes, he called himself a lawyer. Taught law classes and spoke at seminars; but he was way far out there in his beliefs and his legal tactics. And yes, he piloted an airplane unregistered and with no pilots license. It is very sad how he undermined his own efforts by using illegal and wacky methods. He always believed he was right and could win. But, he tripped his ownself up and became his own worst enemy. Unfortunately, the only way to protect the public from him and David, appears to be them locked up in prison.